Give feedback on state’s proposed health education standards

Employees, families, and community members are invited to give feedback on the state’s proposed Georgia Standards of Excellence (GSE) for K–12 health education. If approved, the standards will be implemented in the 2021–22 school year. The review survey is available through 5 p.m. on March 19. The draft standards were developed based on a formal review and evaluation process that included a range of stakeholders. The current review period comes prior to a vote by the State Board of Education on whether to approve the new standards.

Traveling outside the U.S. this spring? When you get home… Stay home (for 7 days)!

If you and your family have international travel plans for Spring Break, make sure to build in an extra week away from school or work. Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) follows guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding international travel. The CDC recommends that all international travelers get tested 3 to 5 days after returning and self-quarantine at home for 7 days after travel.

So, what does that mean for travelers?

• Travelers who test positive must isolate based on current guidance for a confirmed case.

• Even travelers who test negative should self-quarantine at home for the full 7 days. In other words, students and staff who travel outside the U.S. will not be able to return to school or work for at least 7 days after their return to the U.S.

• Travelers who choose not to be tested should self-quarantine at home for a full 10 days after travel.

During self-quarantine, monitor for symptoms. If symptoms develop, seek testing immediately and follow guidance for a suspected case.

Families with specific questions about a travel situation and how it might affect their child’s attendance should contact their local school. Employees traveling outside the U.S. will not be eligible to work from home upon return, and will need to use personal, vacation, or sick days during the self-quarantine period. Employees with questions about international travel guidelines and their work schedule should speak with their supervisor.

Online, find translations of this information in Chinese (中文), Korean (한국어), Spanish (Español), and Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt).

GCPS offers virtual Transition Fair on March 20 for students with disabilities, families, and educators

On March 20, GCPS will host the 2021 Transition Fair for students with disabilities, their families, and educators. Starting at 8 a.m., participants can “drop in” to the virtual event to view pre-recorded sessions about community services and resources for young people who have disabilities and may need assistance as they transition to adulthood. (The link to the event will be live on the day of the fair.) Attendees will have the opportunity to watch virtual presentations from local agency representatives regarding various options available for school-aged students as well as transitional services to post-school activities and employment. Presentations and resources will cover a number of topics, including day programs, community living supports, vocational and career services, transition resources, and recreation and leisure opportunities. For those who can’t participate that day or who want to reference information after the event, links to the recorded sessions will be available on the website through May 26. Questions? Send an email to Transition.Fair@gcpsk12.org.

Join GCPS’ Transportation team and drive your career forward!

Interested in joining the team?

Drivers must be 21 or older, have a good driving record, and have a high school diploma or GED.

Monitors must be 18 years or older and have a high school diploma or GED.

Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) is hiring bus drivers and monitors! If you are interested in learning more about opportunities with the school district’s Transportation team, make plans to attend one of these upcoming events. Transportation staff will be on-site at both events to answer any questions and assist with the application process.  The in-person events will observe safety protocols. Attendees must wear a mask during the job fair. Temperature and wellness checks will be performed prior to admission.

• Transportation Job Fair—Tuesday, Feb. 23, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
  GCPS will be holding a Transportation Job Fair at the Goodwill of North Georgia Pleasant Hill Career Center, located at 1502 Pleasant Hill Rd. in Duluth.

• Spring Back Into Work Job Fair—Wednesday, March 3, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
  Gwinnett County Public Schools will participate in the Spring Back Into Work Job Fair, sponsored by Goodwill of North Georgia. The fair will be held at the Lilburn branch of the Gwinnett County Public Library, located at 4817 Church St. NW in Lilburn.

School of the Arts reopens dance, voice conservatory auditions for GCPS students

GCPS dancers and vocalists in 8th and 9th grade, did you miss the first round of auditions for School of the Arts @ Central Gwinnett HS (SOTA) in the fall?

You’re in luck! SOTA has expanded its staff in the Conservatory programs for dance and voice, and is reopening auditions for the 2021-22 school year! If you’d like to be considered for the SOTA Conservatory, you have until Feb. 26 to register for an audition slot. Invitation-only auditions will be held March 4-6. Learn more about SOTA and this unique “arts-centric” learning experience for Gwinnett County high school students and find audition requirements online.

Your passion. Your creativity. Your school. SOTA

Andrew Byron: Combining interests in animals, medicine

Veterinary Science is the “perfect combination” of Andrew Byron’s interests—animals and medicine—as he pursues a career in Veterinary Pathology. “My ultimate goal is to work for the CDC to identify and treat zoonotic diseases,” says Andrew, who is on a path to his career goals with classes at Grayson HS Technical Education Program. “Taking a veterinary medicine class allows me to build a foundational understanding of what will be required of me in veterinary school… and opens doors for new opportunities to learn alongside veterinary professionals as I work toward my career goals.”

A unique partnership that benefits students at both Grayson and Gwinnett Technical College grew out of a conversation between Jennifer Allen, RVT, a Veterinary Science instructor at Grayson and Dr. Ryan Cheek, program director for the Veterinary Technology Program at Gwinnett Tech

Explains Dr. Cheek, “I was telling her that we needed a place for us to do surgery that closely emulated a real clinical setting, and she was talking about how she needs more clinical opportunities for her students.” The result? A first-of-its-kind veterinary surgical suite at Grayson that is used for elective surgical procedures, such as spaying and neutering, for cats and dogs. (The Gwinnett County Animal Shelter sponsors the animals for adoption after recovery.)

Grayson’s surgical suite and surgery prep area include the same equipment that students would see in a veterinary hospital. Experienced veterinarians perform all surgeries—assisted by Gwinnett Tech Veterinary Technology students with support from Grayson students who gain valuable experience as they observe, keep records, and obtain vital signs of the four-legged patients.

Ms. Allen notes that the partnership is a win for all involved. Dr. Cheek agrees, “I want the students to get some hands-on experience in a medical facility. This partnership gives all of the students an opportunity to work with real patients that are getting real procedures done.”

The Grayson program also places interns with independent private veterinary practices and in research settings.

“Without working with animals and seeing authentic procedures, it is difficult for students to achieve a firm understanding of the profession and all that it entails,” says Ms. Allen.

For Andrew, classwork about physical exams and vital signs is reinforced in the surgical suite. “Under Dr. Cheek, I have witnessed physical exams done on patients during pre-operation preparations, measured the heart rate/respiration rate/pulse of a dog, and read the patients' vital signs while they were in surgery.”

Those hands-on opportunities are helping Andrew and his classmates explore possible careers in the field—whether pursuing a position in a research lab or considering a career as a veterinarian or vet technician.

Jordan McEntyre: Following a pathway to her future

Personal computers were an expensive novelty in the 1970s when first introduced. Today, devices using technology can be found in nearly every household and business, and a host of related careers have evolved—and continue to evolve—from programming and game design to web and app development and cybersecurity.

Jordan McEntyre, a senior studying Cybersecurity at Paul Duke STEM HS, is entering an industry that experts say will only grow. Whether she becomes a software engineer or works on the security side, Jordan says her classes and an internship with Curiosity Lab are the preparation she needs.

“This pathway has taught me many things that are currently helping me conduct research on network security, and will help me pursue my desired career path,” says Jordan. “While my work at Curiosity Lab involves a lot of new things, the things that I learn in class have given me a solid foundation to build off of, making it easier for me to explore, understand, and contribute to new concepts in the field, now and in the future.”

Philip Peavy, a computer science teacher at the school and 2021 GCPS High School Teacher of the Year, says that, up to a few years ago, topics like cybersecurity were taught only at the college level or were self-taught. “Being able to work and learn about it while in high school gives students a head start in the industry,” he says. “The biggest thing about computer science in general is that more exposure and practice makes you more confident and fluent in the subject. So as students are learning programming at a younger age, they are going through the curriculum at a faster pace.”

Paul Duke offers three Computer Science Pathways that allow students to earn industry certification in areas of Information Technology:

• Computer Science—Students learn different programming languages like Python and Java;

• Cybersecurity—Students learn how to manage and secure network systems and prepare for Security+ certification; and

• Game Design—Students learn how to animate, simulate, and create games using software like Unity and programming in C#.

In the 2021-22 school year, the school will add Web Development as a pathway. Some CS courses allow students to earn college credit by passing Advanced Placement (AP) exams while others count as a foreign language credit toward graduation requirements because students are learning programming languages. (Computer Science is available in every GCPS high school and more computing/programming courses are being rolled out for younger students in coming years through the district’s CS4All initiative.)

“The future work force is currently in our classrooms,” says Mr. Peavy of Jordan and her classmates. “I get to teach these stellar young adults every day and see the amazing work they can do.”

Thank you, PTA!

Gwinnett County Public Schools salutes the families and staff members who work together in their local school PTAs to advocate for the children of our community! Our PTAs sponsor events and learning activities, raise funds to support teaching and learning, provide resources and tools for families and schools, and advocate for families, speaking “with one voice for every child.”

In GCPS, local school chapters work together in one of three areas in the Gwinnett County Council of PTAs that make up District 12 of the Georgia PTA, a state affiliate of the National PTA.

“We are thankful to have PTA as a great partner through the years and we know the value that each PTA chapter adds to our schools,” says Dr. Pam Williams, GCPS chief of staff, who serves as a liaison to PTA leadership in the county. “We believe that when schools and PTAs work together, it leads to student, school, and community success.”

The History of PTA

DID YOU KNOW? The National Parent-Teacher Association (PTA)—the largest and oldest child advocacy association in the United States—has strong Georgia roots.

PTA was the brainchild of Marietta native Alice McLellan Birney who worked with Phoebe Apperson Hearst to organize the first National Congress of Mothers. The Washington, D.C., event on Feb. 17, 1897, drew far more than the “200 mothers” expected, with more than 2,000 attendees—both women and men—who saw an opportunity to address the needs of children and families with one voice.

A similar organization—the National Congress of Colored Parents and Teachers (NCCPT)—was dedicated to advocacy for children, particularly those in segregated communities. The first local chapter was launched in an Atlanta elementary school in 1911 by NCCPT founder Selena Sloan Butler, an alumnae of Spelman College and longtime teacher who grew up in Thomasville, Ga. NCCPT had its first convention in 1926. Mrs. Butler went on to serve on presidential committees and founded and led numerous service organizations in Atlanta and the state of Georgia. (Her portrait is displayed in the State Capitol building.)

Over the years, the National Congress of Mothers and the NCCPT worked together to improve conditions for students and teachers, merging in 1970 to form the National PTA. The National PTA and its founding organizations have advocated for children and families on key education, health, and safety issues—from school and bus safety, mandatory immunizations, and universal kindergarten to child labor laws and juvenile justice, the first school lunch program, and family involvement in schools.

Today, the National PTA has more than 4 million members—parents, teachers, grandparents, caregivers, foster parents, and other caring adults—who are committed to the PTA mission.

Amanuel Solomon Zawudie: Taking steps toward dream career in medicine

Dr. Zawudie, paging Dr. Zawudie… that’s a dream that Amanuel Solomon Zawudie has had since childhood. He says healthcare classes in the Wellness, Health, and Education Academy at Shiloh HS and his internship with Peachtree Immediate Care are the next steps he’s taking toward his dream career of being a physician.

Shiloh boasts a mock pharmacy in partnership with CVS that helps prepare students for certification as Pharmacy Technicians and gives budding doctors background in pharmaceutical science. Says Amanuel, “I have learned a lot about different types of drugs and directing a patient on how to use them.”

Dr. Krystal Tomlin, who leads the program, says classroom instruction, the mock pharmacy, and work opportunities help her students envision a future in healthcare fields. She says “Hands-on experiences like Amanuel's internship and the CVS program here at Shiloh give students exactly what CTE was designed to do—real-world applications and experiences that they would not have received anywhere else.” She notes that those hands-on experiences also give students an advantage when they are filling out college applications and applying for their first jobs in the field.

The internship at Peachtree Immediate Care, a network of walk-in clinics, gives Amanuel an opportunity to apply classroom learning in the workplace. “This learning opportunity will show me how it is in the real world and how everything operates in a real situation,” he says.

Andrea Cryder, region director of operations for the clinics, says that’s exactly what Peachtree Immediate Care hoped to accomplish with CTE internships. “Peachtree Immediate Care chose to get involved with your program because we want to see students prosper and succeed in rewarding careers that also serve an important need in the community,” she says. “It is our hope that this partnership will offer the students first-hand experience and allow them to develop a sense of purpose and passion for healthcare. Healthcare offers a promising future with limitless opportunities for growth.”

That promising future is what Amanuel is working toward, one step at a time.

Spread the word… GCPS is hiring

• Substitutes work in our schools on daily or longer assignments, providing instruction through an in-person, digital, or concurrent format. Subs choose the assignments they want to accept and determine their own schedule. Compensation ranges from $98 a day up to $120 per day for on-call subs. Prospective substitutes can find an application online (Posting #68471). Learn more at GCPSjobs.org or send an email to substitutes@gcpsk12.org for assistance.

• GCPS bus drivers enjoy competitive wages, excellent benefits, paid training, and a great work schedule. They work the student calendar year and enjoy the benefit of time off on student holidays and summer vacation! Prospective drivers don’t need to hold a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) to apply to become a school bus driver. Our Transportation Department trains and supports new drivers through the process! Applicants must be 21 or older, have a good driving record, and have a high school diploma or GED. Learn more and apply online (Posting #66966) at GCPSjobs.org.

• The district’s custodians ensure our schools provide a safe and clean learning environment for our students and a pleasant workplace for the district’s employees. GCPS is hiring full- and part-time staff members for custodial staff positions at schools and offices. Candidates can learn more about qualifications and responsibilities and apply online at GCPSjobs.org.

Give feedback on proposed instructional resources through March 12

Staff, parents, students, and community members are invited to review and provide input on proposed curriculum resources for three high school courses—Portuguese I, Forest Science, and Natural Resources Management. Additional resources for Family and Consumer Science (grades 6-8) and Language Arts (grade 12) were added this week. The virtual public review of all resources will run through March 12. Before adopting instructional resources for classroom use, Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) holds an extensive review. The curriculum content offices and Instructional Resources and Support jointly convene multiple committees involving various stakeholder groups to select resources to consider for adoption submitted by publishers. The resources were reviewed for alignment with the school system’s Academic Knowledge and Skills (AKS) curriculum. Data from the reviews and a pilot with students will be considered in making adoption recommendations to the Board of Education. To begin the review, please visit this link. For more about the instructional resources review process, contact the Office of Instructional Resources and Support at 678-301-6828.

Lexi Ducote: A young woman finding her place in the world of STEM

STEM fields—those in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics—traditionally have been a man’s world, but more and more young women are considering STEM careers, thanks to programs like Lanier HS’ Center for Design and Technology (CDAT), now in its 10th year and serving about 400 students.

“I chose this pathway because I had always believed I would have a future in STEM, says CDAT senior Lexi Ducote whose grandfather, a retired engineer, shared his love of STEM and his collection of drones with his curious granddaughter. “It intrigued me to learn how drones fly in the air and can be controlled through bluetooth, so I wanted to further my interest in STEM through CDAT.”

Teacher Mike Reilly says CDAT opens a world of opportunities for students. “We know that high school is the gateway to either college or career for students, and we want to help students to find their place in the world of STEM, from welding to biotechnology,” he says. A Georgia STEM-certified program, CDAT uses a project-based learning approach and gives students “voice and choice” in their learning, from game development and animation to software development and control systems.

Lexi, who aspires to be an industrial engineer, continues to build on her early interest in STEM… in the Engineering classroom, through internships, and in the community. Lexi says she is able to learn basic functions of mechanical, electrical, and computer engineering in class, then expand her knowledge of engineering and manufacturing as an intern in the program’s Makerspace. Technical knowledge and teamwork come together in FIRST LEGO League robotics competition.

Shanita Drake—technology staff director for State Farm IT—wants to see more girls like Lexi pursue STEM careers. “We love working with Lanier! Through our partnership, I hope students, who may not have gravitated towards a STEM career, are engaged and better informed of what life-changing possibilities exist within technology,” says Ms. Drake.

In collaboration with State Farm IT, Lexi is continuing to improve both her tech and soft skills, recently taking the message about women in STEM to about 100 girls at Lanier MS who she hopes will follow her footsteps in the CDAT program.